In this paper, the case study about eradicating smallpox will be evaluated to identify the things that may be learned or applied to practice and clarify the points that are unclear and need new discussions. Smallpox is an infectious disease that has been successfully eradicated, proving that massive immunization is a solution that can help (Jacobsen, 2014; Skolnik, 2016). This eradication is a good lesson for modern doctors, nurses, and researchers.
Things to Learn
Three new aspects are discovered to strengthen an understanding of global health issues. First, the story provided a strong overview of the numbers and facts about one of the most contagious health problems that attacked people despite their age, gender, and race (Metzger, Kohler, & Mordmuller, 2015). As soon as the information about the disease was gathered, it was necessary to communicate the problem and its solution loudly and very often (Donald Ainslie (D.A.) Henderson, MD, 2017). Before vaccination, more than 977 million people live in endemic areas (Seymour, 2016). Such numbers terrified and made people act quickly.
Another discovery is based on the connection between health problems and political and financial fields. The cooperation between the Soviet Union and the United States was one of the crucial steps in eradicating smallpox when the budget was established, and all opportunities were discovered (Seymour, 2016). The main lesson is the readiness to cooperate with people and countries despite personal conflicts and concerns to achieve one goal that can save millions of lives.
Finally, it is necessary to work under different conditions and make fast decisions. When the large numbers of refugees came to the areas where vaccination had already been made, it was necessary to use a new approach and organize people properly. It was hard to predict and understand the behaviors of new people who were in need of help (Marsella & Christopher, 2004). The military-like approach helped to achieve positive results in the most unexpected and challenging situations (Seymour, 2016). Human lives were saved, and smallpox was eradicated.
Things to Apply to Practice
The case contains several important lessons that may contribute to medical practice in different ways. First, the effectiveness of vaccination has to be discussed. It is not enough to promote immunization and underline its urgency. The medical staff has to be trained in vaccination and the exchange of knowledge. Therefore, in hospital-based health systems, employee training has to be applied to encourage employees and ensure vaccination success (Seymour, 2016). Another significant aspect that can be applied to practice is the discovery of the campaign that several vaccinations may be given at a time. People should have a chance to protect their health against different diseases and infections. A multiple vaccination approach is the solution that works today.
Thoughts to Ponder
Regarding the lessons and discoveries of the case, there is still one point that confuses some readers and provokes new discussions. The eradication of smallpox was a serious task with a number of activities, including cooperation, national commitment, leadership, and medical research (Seymour, 2016). Still, the situation remains unclear regarding the importance of all these activities. It is hard to understand what results could be in case some activities were not taken. Smallpox eradication is a serious lesson. However, to achieve similar results with other diseases, people should know what outcomes could be expected if some of the activities like national commitment or international cooperation would be neglected. Such questions as “Could smallpox eradication be successful if the Soviet Union rejected its participation?” or “What laboratory steps were taken to discover the pharmacology of the disease?” should be answered to promote a deep understanding of the topic.
References
Donald Ainslie (D.A.) Henderson, MD, MPH (1928-2016) smallpox eradication: Leadership and legacy. (2017). The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 215(5), 673-676.
Jacobsen, K. (2014). Introduction to global health (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Marsella, A.J., & Christopher, M.A. (2004). Ethnocultural considerations in disasters: An overview of research, issues, and directions. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 27(3), 521-539.
Metzger, W.G., Kohler, C., & Mordmuller, B. (2015). Lessons from a modern review of the smallpox eradication files. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 108(12), 473-477.
Seymour, J. (2016). Eradicating smallpox. Web.
Skolnik, R. (2016). Global health 101 (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.